Being new to rooting fig cuttings , I am trialing several methods.
Two cuttings of Marseilles vs Black were planted horizontally just under the surface of 50/50 mix of potting mix/perlite , in a clear shoebox size container.( All of what I am trying is following what I've read on the forums , just can't recall who posted their technique regarding this.)
Now plenty of roots are showing in three or four different locations , but no evidence of top growth. I thought I had read to leave them in the container until the tops get too tall and the cover will no longer fit. My real question here is the roots are so vigorous that they are beginning to grow into each other , should I pot up each individual now before the roots tangle too much ? Some of the roots are long enough that I would put them into 5.5" deep square containers instead of going into 20 oz. clear cups.
Thanks for any help,
Kerry
Zone 5

If it were me i would pot up according to what you just stated and leave some nodes above soil for sun to start its work on getting leaves at those points.

I agree with Martin.  I would also pot in something conducive to the size/shape, leaving buds above surface, and watch.

From experience, I can tell you that some cuttings will bud and leaf without roots, some will root vigorously and not bud for many weeks after, and some will root and bud at the same time.  If you are seeing roots, chances are you will eventually see buds.

I wait until the roots are well-developed, showing on all sides of cup and circling the bottom) before moving to larger pot with no clear sides and moving towards a light source.  I don't know what the more advanced experts recommend, this is just what I've been doing because it is working... =)

Thanks Martin and Jason , I think you are right I should pot them up now. For all my cuttings I plan to go normally from 20 oz. clear cup to 5.5"deep square container , then to 5 gallon sub irrigated buckets for the first season. Does that sound realistic ? And Martin since you store so many figs in containers for the winter, could you tell me if a space that so far this winter stays between 29F and 23F here in central New Hampshire would be ok storage space for 1 year old fig plants ?
Thanks

Yes they should be ok at that temp, my garage has some plants 1 season or less in age and my garage temps have gotten colder than 23 this winter , i just checked them and gave then all a drink most look fine there is one that its top few inches is turning dark so it probably will get cut off come spring.
For the container question you asked and its just me but i try to go from cup to a 1 gallon pot in spring then move up later that season if its growing well.

Great Martin , that is a relief to know that a space with temps in the 20's can work for year old plants. If I pot some into one gallon and nothing bigger later in the season and they can get through winter that way, I'm in business.
All I will have to do is unclutter the space for winter storage of figs next year.
Best case scenario, if they root and grow well this year, can I leave some fruit on the plants in year two ?
Best ,
Kerry
zone5

Kerry
It is better that the cutting has a lot of roots and the top shoots are delayed. If there are good roots, the shoots will eventually come. I try deliberately to delay the shoots if I can before roots are formed.
Good luck in growing them.

Kerry you write,
Best case scenario, if they root and grow well this year, can I leave some fruit on the plants in year two ?

I not sure i understand the question, i eat my fruit unless some do not ripen by the time there in storage if that happens most times they along with the leaves i leave on and clean up the mess come spring, sure once in a while on nice day i clean some leaves up but thats about it.
Some years tend to be different when it comes to storage for me , sometimes most leaves have fallen off some years no because i go by outdoor temps while others might wait till all the leaves fall off before bringing tree in i think.
This season my plants retained most of there leaves although curled  (except young plants) after 2 good mid 20s temperatures at night they all came in .
Best Health

Martin , I see now that my sentence is kind of unclear. I just meant to ask that if my rooted cuttings grow well this first season , can I expect to harvest any fruit in the second year ?
Best ,
Kerry

Kerry
Per my experience in Zone 5a, I had a few fig plants that fruited the first year but the fruit dropped. In the second year most (if not all) had fruits but some even ripened like the early ripening ones Hardy Chicago, Marseilles VS Black, Sal, Natalina. I hope to expect better ripening in the third year since the plants will be more mature (& maturity helps in the ripening); and let us hope for a better sunny warm summer where it is needed.

Kerry yes definetely you can and should expect ripe fruits in 2nd year in our zone just not a lot, i remember back when my EL.Sals was that young and Hc and each brought about 2 dozen at best before season end. Each year as plant grows more horizontal branches if nipped at the top of main trunk that is you will get more fruit. If not nipped at the top these plants tend to grow leggy as they reach for there potential height.
I have some going into there 2nd growing season and i will get ripe fruit unless it SNOWS this summer which i don't expect.   ; )
Best Health
Martin

I tride laying down the whole cutting.
The buds still came through the soil and I ended up potting them
vertically.
I think that only really works outside and if you have a real long cutting
that is at least eighteen inches long.
My dad did that  with grapes.
That way you can get a long row to grow against a trellis.
I don't think it really works with figs?

Jerry

So I just potted up those horizontal cuttings. What I wrote in the first post was not exactly correct . Looking at my notes , I did have two Marseilles vs Black cuttings , but I cut them in half at the start , ending up with two 3-node cuttings and two 2-node cuttings. When I went to pot up , I found the four cuttings to have great roots, too big to put into 20 ounce cups so they went onto 5.5 " square pots. Each cutting just had roots at the bottom nodes and one swelling leaf node.
Thanks for the advice to pot them up now , the timing was good for that to avoid a tangle of roots.
I also see in my notes that I put those cuttings horizontally on Dec. 12
Thanks ,
Kerry